


About Mates

by obviouslyelementary



Series: Star Trek: Enterprise [4]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Betazoid, Canon-Typical Behavior, Cheating, Dubious Consent, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:22:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29134755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obviouslyelementary/pseuds/obviouslyelementary
Summary: The Enterprise crew meet up with a new species: Betazoids.However, they find out the hard way that some of them have some... issues with Soulmates.
Relationships: Charles "Trip" Tucker III/Original Character(s), Jonathan Archer & Charles "Trip" Tucker III, Jonathan Archer & Malcolm Reed, Malcolm Reed/Charles "Trip" Tucker III
Series: Star Trek: Enterprise [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2119128
Comments: 3
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I love this series I love this series I love this series thank you

"Commander, come inside."

Trip looked around the captain's dining room, curious as to why it was empty. Normally, at least T'Pol would be there to share dinner with them, not talk and judge their manners. Today, it seemed, they would be alone. Trip was silently relieved, but did not let that show, grinning at his best friend and rushing inside as he always did, sitting by his left.

"Hey Jon! Guys' night, then? Where's T'Pol?" he asked, curious, thanking the chef as he placed down two places of salad in front of them. Archer served them both some cold tea and chuckled.

"Well today it's just you and me, Trip. My orders" he explained, and that was when a hint of doubt and curiosity hit the engineer. After all, it was rare that they would share a meal alone, let alone by the captain's own orders. Something could be wrong, but Jon wouldn't be so calm about it if it was. No, his was personal. Now Trip was interested.

"Alright. Anything the admiral sent that should stay away from those pointy ears?" he asked, reaching for the seasoning and putting it over his salad, while Archer shook his head and took the first bite.

"No, not quite. This meeting is about something more personal, commander" he said, using ranks again. Now Trip was worried, had he done something wrong? For all he knew, he was still the same old Trip, working his ass off, spending nights awake to fix up problems, making sure Enterprise was at its peak efficiency. The only main difference he could think about, which was obvious to him but he hoped, not so obvious for the crew, was his amount of time spent around Malcolm.

Well, obviously he would want to, they were soulmates, and they had known it and discussed it over two weeks ago. Sure, Trip wished they could go public, but he understood Malcolm's needs and desires and was keeping quiet because of it. Didn't mean he wouldn't do all he could to spend more time with him, but he would do it as normally and casually as he could: fixing his schedules so they would go to the gym together, eat lunch and have breaks around the same time so they could chat in the mess hall, make up some engineering-armory problems so he could spend the night at the man's quarters without raising much suspicion... for all he knew, he was doing everything quietly.

But maybe, people had begun to notice.

"Oh really captain? I know! You finally found out the name on your wrist!" Trip said, quick to try and put the subject towards Archer. After all, it was the best way of distracting him in case the 'personal subject' really was about him and Malcolm. He hoped not, he wouldn't be able to openly lie to his best friend.

The rouse seemed to work for a moment, Jon's eyes widening and his head shaking in denial. It was still a touchy subject for him, having a Vulcan as a soulmate. It would probably be easier, Trip considered, if Vulcans too had soulmates, but they did not, and that made everything complicated.

In fact, they had yet to find another species with soulmate marks. Denobulans didn't have them, not risians, or any other species they had had the pleasure to encounter in friendly terms. More curious still, when one of the ensigns found an alien she had been mated to, something unheard of before, only to have him deny her of all her feelings, already having a family and a life in his planet. Trip understood his grounds, although he wished that soon the humans would be able to share their love for their alien counterparts, no matter where.

Despite all that, Archer now seemed uncomfortable, unconsciously tugging on his shirt to hide the name on his skin. Awfully close to how Malcolm did it whenever they were in public, it was quite adorable, if Trip was to be honest.

"No, Trip, that is not what I called you here for" he said, seriously, and regained his posture a second later. "We have found a new planet, habited, and we are on our way to visiting it. We will meet with one of their ships to be escorted into their system in two days, and they sent us all the specs we should be expecting when we arrive: culture, protocols, respectful manners..."

"That sounds great captain! What's the issue?" Trip asked, worried, uncertain even what to think that would be so bad about a species that seemed ready to accommodate them. But Archer tilted his head and sighed.

"Well, one of those specs is that they are an empathic species. Which means, by what they told us, that they can sense other people's feelings, and even read their thoughts" he said, and Trip was beginning to see why this was so worrisome. After a moment of silence, Archer continued. "They are also a soulmarked species. They can sense when people are... connected."

Oh.

Oh!

Trip let out a warm laugh, grinning at his friend, and Jon seemed confused at his reaction. After a moment of chuckles, Trip shook his head and smiled warmly at his friend.

"You're worried about Malcolm? Oh damn, what did I do to deserve such a good friend?" he asked, honestly, feeling warm at Jon's worries. He was worried about him and Malcolm being put into a weird spot, that was so sweet! Archer smiled at him, although a bit awkwardly.

"Well yes, of course I am. I mean, you two haven't talked about it yet, and it has been what, almost a year since you two met? Do you have any indication that he might be the one? I didn't want to put you or him in a situation of discomfort."

"Awn Jon! You're sweeter than my grandma's cakes!" he cooed, shaking his head. "Don't worry your captain head about it! Malcolm and I will be just fine!"

"Oh really? So he is the one?" Archer asked, now curious, and Trip then realized that his reaction may have told a bit too much. He pressed his lips together, and then looked around, before leaning closer to Jon. He did the same, mirroring Trip's movements.

"Don't tell anyone. He would kill me if he knew I told you" he mumbled, and Archer's eyes widened beyond belief, before he laughed as well and tapped Trip on the arm, grinning and being grinned at.

"Trip! My goodness! And you never thought of telling me?" he asked, happy for his friend. Trip could see it in his gorgeous eyes. "Since when?!"

"You know that mission where we almost died? Yeah, he told me then! And then we talked and now we are together, period" Trip announced, proudly, making Jon smile fondly and shake his head. "Although he don' wanna be tellin' anyone just yet. You know Malcolm, all secrets and stuff."

"I understand, and luckily for him, I'm not the type of captain he wishes I was" he nodded, tapping Trip's arm again. "In any case, I'm happy for you, but you might want to warn him. I am sure this new species won't cause any awkwardness, but he needs to be prepared to know that they will know."

"Alright captain. May I ask the species' name?" Trip asked, curious, and Archer widened his eyes.

"Oh right I never told you, T'Pol said they are called Betazoids. They just began their exploration of space, around twenty years ago they finally went to warp. For what the pictures show, they are just like us in looks, but they all have black irises. Curious."

"Curious indeed. I'm excited to learn more about them" Trip agreed, grinning and focusing on his food the moment the chef brought it over.

\---------------------

In the next day, when Trip was finished with his duties down on engineering, he made his way to Malcolm's quarters, holding a padd on his hand and pretending he was studying something very important. Considering that Archer himself had not discovered their little arrangement, he was sure no one else would have. He rang the bell, waiting outside, and when the door opened he made his way in, putting the padd down the moment it closed.

Malcolm was, as usual, studying his own systems, bent over three different padds by his desk, food forgotten next to him. As usual he had brought two sets of food from the mess hall, so they would share, but he had forgotten about them and was focused on his work, tapping the padds until whatever he wanted became settled.

Making his way closer to his soulmate, Trip allowed himself a little silence, hands laying down on Malcolm's stuff shoulders, head leaning down to press a kiss to his head. The brit was not one to allow or even like affection outside their own company, but when they were alone, Trip found that he somewhat loved it, even without letting it become obvious. He began to massage the shorter man, pushing and squeezing his shoulders until he could feel the muscles untensing underneath his touch, and Malcolm let out a soft groan on delight but did not stir from his work. Trip did not mind, rubbing his thumbs against Malcolm's nape, down his spine, feeling every vertebrae underneath his pads and feeling the knots untie.

A little later, when he felt Malcolm was at ease, he leaned down to kiss his head again, but did not stop there, getting further down to kiss behind his ear, the beginning of his jaw line, down his neck. That was when the armory officer's attention turned to him, and he sighed, leaning back, tilting his head to allow Trip more space.

"Someone is in a mood" he mumbled, his voice a bit softer than usual, and Trip delighted himself on it, nibbling at his neck ever so gently, giving a soft lick to his earlobe and sucking it into his mouth. Malcolm shivered, and then pulled away, much to Trip's dismay. "Calm down, commander. We still have dinner to eat."

"I am calm. If I weren't, you would be the first to know" he replied, grabbing the food and sitting on Malcolm's bed, as he turned the chair around to face his lover. Trip handed him his food, opening his own, and beginning to chew on the now cold piece of chicken. Not his favorite, but then again, they couldn't have catfish every day. They had grown into a steady routine much faster than Trip had ever thought they would (they had been together for two weeks, this soulmate business was no joke), meeting for dinner, making sure they were nourished and hydrated, before they began their fun. Tonight, however, after a long day of work, all the fun Trip wanted was to lay down and cuddle the hell out of his British boyfriend, despite his usual complaints. He would even prefer to be the little spoon today, he just wanted kisses and hugs.

When they finished eating, he voiced his wants to Malcolm, who was more than glad to accept them, agreeing that he wasn't quite in the mood either. With this new species they were about to meet, he wanted to be well rested in case they weren't as friendly as Archer had assured they would be.

"I mean, you can't really expect that they are nice just because they said they are" Malcolm said after spitting the extra toothpaste into the sink, taking the time to rinse it all off and wipe his face. Behind him, Trip agreed with a nod, brushing his own teeth. "For all we knew, all species could just be waiting to shoot us at the first sign of opportunity."

"Agreed" Trip replied, spitting the toothpaste off and then getting himself all cleaned up. "Fact is, dear Malcolm, and they being empathic as they are, we are at a high disadvantage."

"Don't even get me started on that whole ordeal" Malcolm mumbled, clearly uncomfortable. He made his way back to the room, taking off his shirt, making Trip question his own want for only cuddles for a second before shaking his head and following his partner into bed. It was a tight squeeze, but Trip quite liked it. "I cannot believe Archer is so ready to talk with a species that can read our thoughts. That seems a little bit too much, even for him."

"They can also feel our feelings, don't forget that" Trip said, cuddling up to Malcolm under the covers, suddenly feeling very sleepy. Although he was bigger than Malcolm in every way, he still fit against him nicely when he just wanted to be taken care of. Wrapping his arms around the brit's middle, he moved closer, nudging his head against his neck until he was comfortable. Malcolm sighed once they were settled, his own arms around Trip, kissing his forehead the way the American loved.

"That is what I am most worried about... no one in the ship knows about us and yet... the probability of these aliens finding out is uncanny. I don't like that. It could make all of us vulnerable in case of an attack."

"Malcolm, they aren't gonna attack us" Trip mumbled, hugging him tighter to see if he would calm down a little. "They just learned how to go to warp, we are several years ahead of them in every way. Even if they do attack, we will be well prepared."

"I wish I was as confident as you are" Malcolm mumbled, and Trip pulled away from his little resting spot, looking up at the gray eyes he liked so much.

"I am. We have the best armory and tactical officer in the whole ass galaxy. Ready to sweep us out of danger at any moment's notice. I love that guy, he's amazing."

"Oh shut up" Malcolm chuckled, shaking his head and leaning down to kiss Trip softly. "You are such a sap. I'm being serious."

"So am I. Besides, you should be more worried about what they will think of us" he said, returning to his spot against Malcolm's neck. His arms tightened around Trip.

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't I tell you? They can sense soulmates."

Malcolm tensed up, and pulled away so he could look at Trip right in the eyes. The engineer was about to complain when he saw how angry Malcolm looked.

"How long have you known that?"

"Um... the captain told me last night... I was supposed to like tell you, but I guess I forgot. Sorry" he said, slowly pulling away, laying his head on the pillow so they were face to face. "They can sense feelings and they can sense soulmates. They have soulmarks too so..."

"Oh great! You mean we have spent two weeks without telling anyone about us, only to have a bunch of aliens know it right away? Just my luck" Malcolm groaned, clearly frustrated, before something else blinked in his mind and he looked back at Trip. "Why did the captain tell you that, Trip?"

"Malcolm, he knows about the name on my wrist" he said, furrowing his eyebrows, and even though unhappy, the tactical officer seemed to remember those two were friends for a while before Enterprise. "He wanted to make sure you and I wouldn't be uncomfortable."

"Alright alright... but you haven't told him about us, have you?" he asked, narrowing his eyes, and Trip shook his head.

"Not a word."

"Good."

They settled back down again, Trip returning to his comfy spot, face pressed against Malcolm's neck, their arms around each other. It was clear that Malcolm was tense again, but Trip couldn’t do much to relax him now, so he kissed his neck where he could reach and squeezed his waist.

"Don' worry. They won't say anything."

"For your happiness, pray that they don't" Malcolm mumbled, like a threat, but Trip knew there was nothing behind it. He did relax a little, but Trip did not remain awake to make sure he was completely calm.

Instead, he dreamt of beautiful beaches, and an even more beautiful Malcolm in Hawaiian shorts.


	2. Chapter 2

They met with the betazoid vessel at the exact appointed hour. The ship was waiting at the expected coordinates, and sent them hails the moment they were within distance – much closer than the Enterprise communications could reach. All the senior officers were at the bridge during the talk, as requested by Archer, and they would be following the vessel at high impulse towards their home planet, arriving there in around ten hours. During that time, a team of betazoids would come to Enterprise to meet their hosts, and a team from Enterprise would go to their vessel for some meetings. As usual, Phlox was much excited to meet a new species, and considering their universal translator was working nicely, Hoshi was about to leave for their vessel as well. T'Pol decided she would like to head over, considering Vulcans had never met this species before, and Malcolm sent two of his security team for good measure.

With all that settled, it landed on Archer's, Trip's and Malcolm's shoulders to watch over the guests, while Travis kept his attention on the bridge. As their shuttle left, another one came in, with five Betazoids inside. Their crew was of thirty people, much less than Enterprise's, and their ship was relatively smaller as well, engines reaching warp 2,5 at most. A new species in the world of warp technology, and one eager to know other friendly species.

The group of betazoids left their shuttle, eager to meet their hosts. Three women and two men came out, at least by human standards, all of them wearing different shirts. The women wore fancy hats, while the men had some type of vest on, going down to their feet, a large red strip going over one shoulder and down to their hips. The women wore dresses, of many colors and shapes, beautiful adornments in their arms, hands, ears and necks. They were clearly a very different species, but beautiful nevertheless.

The one that took command of the group was the oldest woman, tall, thin, elegant, like one of those aristocrats Trip saw in old movies. She came closer to them, smiling, and bowed lightly in their particular way of greeting. The three men bowed right back, Archer smiling, delighted to meet her.

"My name is Lwirrat Idreadun, second in command of our ship. It is a pleasure to be the first of my species to come in contact with yours, captain Archer. We are at your service."

"The pleasure is all ours, Lwirrat" Archer responded, smiling at her. "These are my officers, commander Tucker and Lieutenant Reed. They will be leading the tour with me. We could separate into groups or go all together, however you prefer."

Lwirrat looked back at her companions, and Archer had to remind himself that they talked telepathically. She returned to face him, smiling lightly.

"My colleagues seem to believe the ship would be better viewed in groups. They proposed that I go with you, and two go with each of your officers. If you would not mind."

"Not at all" Archer assured, looking at the other two, who nodded in agreement. "Please follow me, Lwirrat. We will start with the bridge."

"I will take you to engineering first, if you wish to accompany me" Trip announced, and after a quick glance between each other, one woman and one man decided to follow him, taking his lead. The other two remained in the room with Malcolm, who nodded.

"You both are assigned to me then. Let us start with sickbay" he suggested, and they nodded, following right behind him.

They all went their separate ways, leading their new guests all around the vessel.

\--------------------

"So, I believe we will be spending quite a long time together today, and I wanna make sure you know you can call me Trip. No need for that whole commander thing" Trip said, as he and his guests arrived at the lift. They looked at each other for a moment, before the woman gave him a gentle smile.

"Trip... my name is Mirra" she said, her voice soft and awkward. It was clear those people did not talk out loud very often, they weren't very good at it, but their grammar was perfect. "This is my subordinate, Seruh."

"Greetings" the man said, a little worst than her at his diction. Trip didn't mind, he found it charming.

"Mirrak, Seruh, pleased to meet you" he said, trying to keep his own accent to a minimal. It was probably hard enough for them to understand him in their language, he wasn't about to make it harder. They stared at him and nodded, before he continued. "So, what are your assignments in your ship? What do you do?"

"We work in the engineering department, the reason why we decided to come with you" Seruh said, waiting for Trip to leave the lift once it stopped. They both followed the chief engineer around the hallways, nodding at the people that passed them by.

"We realize our engines are far less advanced than yours... but we are still curious as to how they work" Mirra added, turning to a corner when Trip directed them to it.

"I would be more than glad to show you all our specs. My friend Malcolm doesn't like people knowing too much about the ship, he is a little suspicious of everyone, but I sure as hell don't mind" he said, smiling brightly at them and opening the doors to engineering. "Here we are! The fleet's first warp 5 engine. Although we only used its highest speed in tricky situations, it is not perfected just yet."

"It is quite large" Seruh mumbled, walking over with Trip and Mirra to the panels on the left. "Dilithium matrix... I don't think we have ever encountered such mineral before."

"I will be glad to explain how it works, if you want" Trip assured, and went on with the explanations, having both betazoids' attention fully on him. He felt like a teacher in a lecture, he quite liked it. Warp engines were his favorite subject after all.

\---------------

Some meters away, Malcolm was leading the two other guests towards sickbay. Neither of them had spoken much, but he could almost feel as if they were analyzing him, every move, every thought in his head. He had no idea what they were doing, however, even though his brain was sure he could feel a pressure in his frontal cortex. Only when they were alone inside doctor Phlox's facility that he allowed himself to speak.

"This is our sickbay. It's where we treat our wounded, and our doctor is a denobulan, so he has several animals and insects that help him with his healing. I would advise not to disturb them, some of them bite."

"Thank you, lieutenant Reed" the woman said, bowing to him, while the man seemed much more interested in his surroundings than she was. She remained quiet, looking around, and he couldn't help but feel partially responsible for the awkwardness of the moment.

"Sorry, I have been rude, I did not even ask your names" he said, trying to break the ice. He was never good at it.

"Engam Adeaco, surgeon" the man said, making it clear why he was so interested. The woman looked at him, hopeful, and smiled.

"Riavaxe Dolud" she said, offering her hand. Malcolm stared at it, and she tilted her head. "I was told you humans shake hands..."

"Oh right" he whispered, reaching out and shaking her hand. It was warm and very silky. "I'm Malcolm, Malcolm Reed. At your orders."

"Greetings, Malcolm Reed" she said, smiling at him, while Malcolm gave a quick check over Adeaco to make sure he wasn't touching what he shouldn't. "It is a pleasure, to be the first betazoids to know your species. As you probably know, I was but a baby when we first achieved warp speed, and only twenty years later we are already meeting you, it is quite a feat."

"I would have to agree. Your society has been quick to evolve" he agreed, smiling back at her. They were slowly beginning to grow on him, they didn't seem too bad. She tilted her head and blushed, looking away, making him confused. "Is there something wrong?"

"Oh, no, nothing you can help me with, lieutenant" she said, and he frowned lightly. "You know we are telepathic, correct? Empathic?"

"Did I... think something I shouldn't?" he asked, worried, and she giggled, making him a little calmer. "I apologize if I did."

"Not quite wrong as... well... humans have their emotions open in their brains, and even though I can sense that you are a more closed off individual, I can still sense what you feel without trying. I am sorry" she said, both apologetic and not at the same time. "We are trying to remain impartial to your emotions but... I am not very good at it."

"She hasn't learned how to control her telepathic abilities just yet" Adeaco said, making her blush and look at him. He looked back, smirking, and she turned away, back to Malcolm. Clearly they had just had a full conversation in their own heads.

"He is correct, I haven't learned how to block others' thoughts and emotions quite yet. In Betazed we are used with seeing only what others show, but since humans never had to hide their feelings from others, we have to make an effort to block ourselves out of your heads."

"Alright... I understand" Malcolm said, uneasy but not about to make them uncomfortable. "However can I know what I thought or felt that made you blush? If you do not mind."

"Um... sure..." she said, coming a little closer to him, something Malcolm did not quite anticipate, but he held his ground. Clearly she noticed his discomfort, or rather felt it, and smiled gently. "You... um... find my coworker attractive."

Malcolm's eyes shifted to the betazoid now curiously staring inside the cages and couldn't help but blush. He looked back at her, ready to deny it, but what was the use? Her eyes were filled with glee and he hoped he hadn't upset them somehow, although she did not seem to care in the slightest.

"I did not even realize I had..." he whispered, awkward and slightly uncomfortable, but she shook her head quickly.

"I should not have reacted at all, it is not your fault. Besides, we expected to learn more about your emotions when we came aboard, it is one of our most prized cultural exchanges. Humans seem to hold their emotions close to their minds, unlike betazoids. Yet, it is something we all feel from time to time. We are not offended, you do not need to be uncomfortable."

Right. She could feel his discomfort. She could probably hear his thoughts. This was not fun.

"I am quite done here, if you would not mind taking us to another part of the ship" Adeaco requested, returning to Malcolm's side, and he avoided staring at him, nodding and showing them the door.

"Next stop, the armory."

\-----------------------------

"You are a curious species, captain" Lwirrat said as she wondered around the mess hall. Most of the crew was in duty hours, so it was empty, the perfect spot to talk before they had dinner.

"You can call me Archer, or even Jon if you'd like" he assured, her smile making him feel a little odd. She was really elegant, and he was not trained for diplomatic issues. However, she had been more than courteous during the tour, and he had nothing to complain about. "Also if you have any questions, I am all ears."

"All ears?" she asked, curious, and he chuckled.

"An expression from where I come from. It means that I'm listening closely" he said, offering her a chair, and she accepted it, sitting down. "Do you want anything? Some beverage, some food?"

"Water would be delightful, Jon" she said, and he nodded, heading over to the machine and coming back with two glasses. He offered her one and she sipped on it quietly before placing it down. "If you wouldn't mind, I would like to know some more about your species."

"Like I said, I will give you all the answers I can" he assured, serious, and she nodded.

"My questions may sound too personal, however believe me when I say they come from a place of trust, and curiosity, of course. Betazed is a planet where people feel and think all in one, and we have our biggest secrets locked up where no one can hear. Humans, however, never learned to control their emotions, and thus they are clear and visible to the eye of any betazoid. We have been trying to avoid any slips, but even for someone as highly trained as I am, it is hard not to listen to some louder thoughts or feel some clear feelings."

"I understand. Believe me, I have warned my crew, so that no accidents will be misinterpreted" Archer assured her, making Lwirrat smile and nod.

"That is very kind of you, Archer" she said, sipping on her water once more. "The fact is, there is a single feeling that your whole crew emanates, something that I found particularly remarkable: trust. The trust your crew exhibit towards you, towards this vessel, towards each other... it is something beautiful to feel. It was so pure, that I too felt that immediate trust upon arriving here."

"That... is the kindest thing anyone has ever told me, thank you so much" Archer said, softly, bowing his head to her in appreciation. She smiled at him and shook her head.

"There is nothing to be thankful for. You are a good captain, and it shows" she said, and then crossed her legs, smiling at him. Her eyes glistened, he knew she was now getting into what she really wanted to know. "I heard that your species is also, how do you put it, soulmarked. Correct?"

"Yes, we are" Archer agreed, nodding slowly, and Lwirrat hummed. "Why?"

"Betazoid has extremely strict rules about soulmates working together" she explained, and Archer knew where this was going. "We believe that two people so deeply connected with each other can bring difficulties while in the same vessel, in the same work place. I was curious to know, how it works, in your culture."

"Well, we are the first crew to ever go this far from home, so we are making up some rules as we go along" Archer said, in full honesty. She could sense that, probably. "However the instructions we receive from Starfleet are very clear: soulmates can work together as long as there is no problem either with efficiency or personal issues. If there are... the highest ranking soulmate is required to request to be reassigned, as to not jeopardize the other's career."

"Interesting... that way, you do not stop anyone of your kind to fulfill their dreams" Lwirrat said, humming and rubbing her chin slowly with two fingers. "Is that the case with the two other officers that are taking my crew? Lieutenant Reed and Commander Tucker?"

"So you really can tell?" Archer asked, curiously, and she chuckled in delight.

"Not only that, we can tell who is mated and who is not" she said, nodding to him. "I know you have not found your soulmate yet, and I know you have one."

"You can even tell that they are together? How?" he asked, surprised, and she shrugged.

"Well captain, it is just... one of our best qualities" she said, tilting her head. "in Betazed, we take soulmates very seriously. It is a delight to know another species that share that rare gift."

"All of betazoids have soulmates? Because on earth, only around half the population has them" Archer asked, and she nodded.

"Yes, most of us have it. The ones that do not are few and far between."

"With any luck, our peoples will be able to learn more about each other and about soulmarks the more we speak" he said, offering a toast, and she smiled, clicking her glass to his ever so gently.


	3. Chapter 3

Eventually, dinner time arrived, and Archer was sure to request the crew to eat early so they would have some peace and quiet with their guests. Malcolm arrived just in time with his assigned guests, while Trip came back a few minutes late, but nothing that would make much difference. They joined up some tables to make a bigger one, and Archer called for the chefs while they spoke.

"If these two are any indication of your planet's engineers, you guys will be coming to warp 5 much sooner than we did! They are amazing! Got a hold on the manifolds in less time than a graduate student!" Trip said, grinning with pride at his guests, who both smiled at their commander. Lwirrat smiled back at them, seeming proud.

"I cannot wait for us betazoids to have better relationships with earth and all other worlds that we can find. We thrive in company and understanding, something that we wish to show to others as well" she assured, and the other officers nodded, the ones that had stayed with Malcolm being far quieter than the ones with Trip and Lwirrat herself.

"I hope you have all enjoyed your tour here, I am sure it is far from finished so we have arranged quarters for you all to spend the night" Archer offered, smiling as the betazoids looked at each other, speaking to themselves silently. Then, Lwirrat looked at him, smiling.

"My officers will stay but I am afraid I have to return to my ship. I am sorry, perhaps when we reach Betazed, I could spend a day with your ship" she said, and Archer nodded, knowing that they would arrive soon, in around five hours. They did have to rest before they were able to know their world, which Archer understood.

The chef finally brought them some food, being careful enough to check with their doctor what they could and could not eat. Luckily, Betazoids were not picky eaters, nor their were vegetarians or vegans, and they did not have many allergies, their digestive system very alike to humans'. So, they were served some delicious roast, something that reminded Trip vaguely of a Christmas dinner.

"What is... Christmas?" one of the betazoid women asked, the one that had been assigned to Malcolm. They all looked at her, confused, before Trip chuckled and smiled at her.

"Oh sorry, I was thinking about how this meal looks a lot like Christmas dinner" he said, making Archer chuckle while Lwirrat stared at her subordinate. "It is a celebration some people on earth have. It started with a religion but now it's pretty much just an excuse to spend time with family. It's on the 24th of December, our last month of the year. Filled with food and friends and drinks... it's a large party."

"I see... sorry for my question" she answered, shyly, making Trip feel guilty and shake his head.

"No hey it's fine! I know you guys can read minds, I should have blocked it back or somethin'."

"That would be impossible for you, commander. At least in the stage of knowledge you have of my species" Lwirrat assured, smiling kindly at him. "My officer should have controlled herself, however she is still learning. I hope it was of no offense."

"No of course not! I don't mind talking about Christmas" he smiled, nodding at the young betazoid, who blushed and looked back down at her food. Malcolm looked at her as well, noticing that look as something... odd. Riavaxe was often shy, she had been throughout the whole tour, but there was something else to it.

It was like a red alert activated in his mind. Was she interested on...

"I-I'm sorry!" she squealed out, surprising everyone, including the other betazoids on the table. Lwirrat's expression turned blank as she stared at her, but Archer was quick to reach out.

"What is wrong?" he asked, turning his face to Lwirrat when he saw the young woman looking at her. "What is happening?"

"My officer should excuse herself, she is being rude in front of our hosts" Lwirrat said, firmly, and the other betazoids all stared at her, making Riavaxe blush and her eyes tear up.

"I am sorry, I did not mean-"

"Hey, it's alright, you didn't even do anything" Archer said, worried, and both Malcolm and Trip nodded, both worried about her and her outburst. She seemed to become even more bothered at their worries, shaking her head.

"I do not deserve your worries!" she exclaimed, standing up and running out of the mess hall, the three humans standing up to stop her. Lwirrat stood as well, making a gesture so that the three men would let her leave.

"I am terribly sorry captain. This will not repeat itself" she assured, but Archer was feeling quite confused and irritated now.

"She didn't do anything, what is happening?!"

"In Betazed, some emotions and thoughts can be just as damaging as actions, considering our telepathic and empathic abilities" one of the others, doctor Adeaco explained, as the men sat down again. "Although she did not mean to, she kept reading your minds and sensing your feelings, something very disliked upon our people's universal committee."

"But she didn't do nothing" Trip said, furrowing his eyebrows. Lwirrat, however, raised an eyebrow at him.

"She has. You just don't know what she did."

He stared at her, confused and bothered, while she returned to her supper, pretending as if nothing had happened. It took some time for the other two, Archer and Malcolm, to return to the conversations, but Trip being the gentleman he was simply could not watch a lady like Riavaxe be pushed out of a dinner like that, without doing nothing.

So, he excused himself, and left the mess hall to go after her, leaving an overly concerned and somewhat jealous Malcolm behind, watching him go.

\-------------------

It took him a while to find her (a little longer than he had expected, if he was being honest), but eventually he found Riavaxe back in sickbay, where she had first gone when she arrived. She was alone in there, looking over some equipment, one arm wrapped tightly around her middle as she moved, clearly in a way to protect herself. He walked inside, slowly, the sound of the door scaring her, making her turn around and look at him, her eyes somewhat puffy with the tears she had not shed. She wiped her eyes quickly, looking down, blushing once more and making him even more confused.

"Hey, why did you leave like that?" he asked, moving closer to her, the door closing behind him, and she turned around to avoid looking at him. Telepathic or not, Trip had seen that move many a times before. "Riavaxe... if I can even call you that... what's the matter?"

"You should not have come after me. Did they not tell you to leave me alone?" she asked, quietly, but he frowned.

"Honestly they just said you should leave. As to keep you alone, no, they didn't mention it. If you wanna be left alone, I can leave, but-"

"No!" she gasped out, turning to him, and her cheeks turned pink again as she stared at him, eyes wide. "I mean, I... I don't want you to go."

"Alright... I wasn't meaning to anyway" he assured, moving closer to her, sitting down on one of the beds. He tapped the place next to him and she slowly sat down, seeming unsure. "Now can you tell me why your friends were so angry at ya? You did nothin'."

"Not to human standards, perhaps, but I did do something. I read your mind, about Christmas, and that was not only impolite but also... well, the betazed universal committee isn't sure what is the penalty but they are thinking of applying one, so that betazoids that meet other species cannot read their thoughts at will" she said, looking at Trip, hoping he would understand. But he only frowned.

"If you can't control our minds, what's the issue?"

"Betazoid mind reading causes no side effects to many races we know. Which means we can read people's thoughts without them knowing. I know that in our context it doesn't sound too bad, it was only Christmas, or stupid things like that, but in negotiations, in dangerous situations... it would give us a high advantage, and not only that, would make us targets. We must learn to control our abilities or else people might wish to use it for bad."

"Oh, I get it" Trip mumbled, nodding slowly and looking away. "But you are still learning right? You can't be expected to get it right all the time."

"It is supposedly easier when other betazoids are around... we ground each other, focus on each other's thoughts and emotions. However, if I cannot control myself in the presence of three aliens and four betazoids..." she sighed, and he nodded, understanding. "I don't think they will allow me to continue the program."

"They will give you a second chance, don't worry about it" he smiled, reaching out to hold her hand and squeeze it gently. She looked at him, eyes wide, and he pulled away. "Sorry, I guess it was my turn to-"

He didn’t finish the phrase. She leaned in, quickly, and pressed her lips to his, closing her eyes in the process. He was surprised at how sudden she was, eyes wide and body tense, but before he could even pull away, she did, blushing up to her ears and staring at him, panting deeply. He looked back at her, confused, but her eyes seemed to almost hypnotize him, so dark and shiny.

"You... you find me attractive" she whispered, not asked, apparently knowing far too well what was going on in Trip's mind. He pulled away, but she held his cheeks, holding him in place. "You want me."

"Riavaxe..." he whispered, unsure what to do, what to say. Yes, he found her attractive. Who wouldn't? But he also had a mate, a soulmate, someone he loved...

"I know" she whispered, grinning a little more maliciously, caressing his cheeks, down his jaw, making him swallow thickly. "You are mated. I can feel it. It's so... potent, so strong... magnetic. I want it. I want to have it..."

"I-I..." he mumbled, unsure what to say, what to do. Part of him wanted to push her away and run for his life, but he was paralyzed, as if she had given him a drug or something.

Had she?

He had no idea.

"Shhh..." she whispered, licking her lips, watching him with deep lust. "Just let me have it... let me taste it..."

He tried to pull away, but she was quicker, pressing their lips together again and deepening it almost immediately. Before he could move, she jumped on his lap, pulling his hair so he groaned and pushing her tongue in, licking all around his mouth, feeling his taste, biting his bottom lip and growling deeply at his taste. He really didn't know if he had been poisoned or not, all he knew was that she was hot, really hot, almost burning, her kiss was addictive, and his rationality was rushing through the airlock. He found himself kissing her back, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her closer, unable to stop, unable to hold himself back.

And then, she pulled away. Or rather, was pulled away, someone snatching her away from him quickly. Just like a bucket of cold water had fallen over his head, he gasped, reaching out for something to grab and steady himself, finding Jon next to him, holding onto his arm and panting as if he had been drowning.

When he could focus his eyes again, Riavaxe was being taken outside, and Lwirrat was staring deep inside his eyes, holding his cheeks, and he could almost hear her inside his brain. He closed his eyes tightly and opened them again, finding her away from him, nodding to herself.

"He will be well. I am sorry for this, captain" she said, looking at Archer, seeming truly regretful, while Malcolm stood by the door, phaser on his hand, staring at the outside where Trip assumed Riavaxe was being held.

"I want a better explanation, if you wouldn't mind" Archer replied, seriously angry, and the woman nodded before looking down at Trip.

"I will explain it, after my officers have returned to our ship. I want no further problems between us."

\------------------

"You mean... she did all that because she doesn't have a soulmate?" Trip asked, laying down on his bed to rest while Jon sighed, sitting next to him, handing his engineer a glass of water.

"Pretty much. Lwirrat told me that some people in betazed are born without soulmates, and whole most of those people live normal lives or simply decide to live alone, others become deeply perturbed" he said, shaking his head and leaning back. "She said that Riavaxe had been in the program for a few months, and she was being trained precisely to control her urges when close to mated people, but since we did not warn them about your and Malcolm's predicament, they did not think about keeping her from knowing us. She... really isn't a bad person, just in the wrong place at the wrong time. She assured that we would not have to see Riavaxe again, and that she will continue with her training."

"Good. She seems like a good girl, wouldn't want her to get screwed over because me and Malcolm didn't wanna share our personal lives" Trip mumbled, leaning back against his pillow and frowning. "About him... where is he?"

Jon looked at Trip, for a while, before he let out a sigh and stood up, turning his back towards his friend.

"Well... he said he doesn't want to... see you right now."

Oh.

Oh no.

Trip's eyes widened and he sat up, holding back a groan at the dizziness he felt before settling down and staring at his best friend.

"You're kiddin' me, right? This is a game?"

"Unfortunately no, it isn't. I wish it was but it isn't" Archer sighed, turning back to face Trip again. "He is... well, very upset. In the Reed way."

"Did you tell him? That I wasn't aware of what was going on, that I was under the influence... Jon did you explain it to him?!"

"I did" he nodded, oh that was worst. "I did but... I can't blame him, Trip, we found you kissing the hell out of the woman. Like, fully enjoying it too."

"When I thought our relationship couldn't have gotten any worst..." he groaned, rubbing his eyes and laying back down. "I was starting to gain his trust Jon... fuck... I don't wanna go back to step zero..."

"I don't think you will. I mean, he is upset, but you weren't doing it out of want, you were forced. That is harassment, at best. He will see that, he just needs some time."

"Can't blame him. I would have probably reacted the same way" Trip mumbled, looking at Jon and frowning at him. "Would you just... tell him I wanna see him? Whenever he wants. Doesn't have to be today."

"I will pass along the message. Now rest Trip, Lwirrat told me the dizziness will remain for at least a few hours" he said, tapping his friend's shoulder and smiling. Trip nodded, getting himself into a comfy position and hugging his pillow while staring at the wall.

Great. Now Malcolm thought he was a cheater. His luck couldn't get any worst.

\---------------------------

"Dr. Phlox, a word?" Archer said once he arrived in sickbay, his much-trusted doctor seeming content at his visit, as he always did. Jon was glad to have accepted such a fine officer to be his chief medical, he didn't feel like he could trust anyone more than he trusted the denobulan.

"What can I do for you, captain?" he asked, offering him the bed, but Archer shook his head, making him curious.

"Nothing related to medicine, I'm afraid. Something more personal" he assured, and the denobulan's curiosity became even more apparent. "I am sure you are the only person in this ship I can speak openly about this, considering you have seen all and every crewmen at least in their underwear."

"I have probably seen more, but yes, I understand" Phlox said, tilting his head. Archer sighed and nodded, walking around sickbay, uneasy.

"Well, you surely know about... about Trip and Malcolm. At least you know they are soulmates" he offered, the doctor giving him short nods. "you also know that Trip, he just kissed a betazoid woman without his consent but Malcolm wasn't too happy about it."

"Something I will never understand. Jealousy" he said in consideration, and Archer chuckled to himself about it.

"I hope you don't, doc. It is a hell of a bad feeling, I can tell you that" he said, before sighing and looking at him once more. "Fact is, Malcolm doesn't know that I know they are together. In fact you probably didn't know either, because Malcolm doesn't want anyone to know. But I am coming here as a friend, because I need you to do a favor for me."

"What kind of favor would that be, captain?" Phlox asked, intrigued, and Archer furrowed his eyebrows with determination.

"I want to get this sorted out, so I don't have to make Trip move assignments."

\------------------------

"Lieutenant Reed, please, come inside."

Malcolm looked around sickbay, confused and suspicious, before making his way inside and walking towards the doctor. Something that bothered him deeply about Phlox was his constant good mood, something he could not sympathize with, especially now.

"Can I do something for you, doctor?" he asked, crossing his arms, and the denobulan turned around to smile at him, nodding and putting a large piece of meat inside one of his cages. It was disgusting, but better than his insects and animals eating humans, Malcolm figured.

"In fact you can. As you probably know, the captain will be leaving to Betazed in an hour or so, and he will be taking a small team with him. I will be in this small team, however, I need someone to watch over and administrate the medication I prescribed to commander Tucker. I thought you would be the perfect choice."

"Doctor Phlox, I am not one to discuss with medical officers, however I do not feel like I am the adequate person to take care of... commander Tucker at this time" Malcolm said, frowning deeply. "can't you find someone else? Travis, Hoshi, even T'Pol would do just fine."

"I am sorry lieutenant, it is a most important duty. Also, captain's orders. He agrees with me that you should be the one to watch over our commander, after all, you are the next in command in case something happens to him" Phlox smiled and handed Malcolm a pack filled with what were probably medicines. It was heavy. "Besides, you mustn't forget I know the name in your arm, and I think your soulmate needs some reassurance from his beloved."

"He is not my beloved" Malcolm replied coldly, seeing exactly what this was going. Probably one of Tucker's tricks. Well, he wouldn't let it phase him. "I will take perfect care of him doctor, don't worry. He will be as good as new when you return."

"Good! I must leave now, see you tomorrow, or maybe after tomorrow, I don't know how long we will be staying yet. Exciting" Phlox chuckled, grabbing his bags and leaving sickbay. Malcolm stared down at the kit he was holding and rolled his eyes in annoyance before making his way to Tucker's room.

Better to get it started soon.

He made his stop by the commander's quarters, ringing the bell and waiting to be allowed inside. Once he was, the doors opened, and he walked inside, finding Tucker laying on his bed, arm covering his eyes. Probably expecting the doctor or Archer, considering his position.

"What's the news doc- Malcolm?!" he gasped once he pulled his arm away, sitting up quickly and groaning. Malcolm raised his eyebrow at him, putting the kit down on the desk and pulling a chair to sit down in front of him.

"Hello commander. I was ordered to be your personal maid, and here I am" he said, dryly, coldly, and opened the kit. As expected, there were a few recommendations written in the doctor's rough English, about the times for the commander's shots, and other small suggestions on what to do to help him. 'Talk to him' was one that Malcolm was keen on dismissing. "For what I can tell, you are supposed to take this shot for the residual side effects in... thirteen minutes, and another one for the dizziness whenever you feel sick. Are you feeling sick, commander?"

His voice, his words, they left no opening for Tucker to say, ask, do anything. He stared at the younger man right in the eyes, seeing in his bright blue irises resignation and sadness. Good. He shook his head and leaned back, looking away from Malcolm.

"No, I'm fine" he mumbled, sounding grumpy. Malcolm did not care, nodding and closing the kit before reaching for his padd. He crossed his leg, opening the armory manifold and beginning to work, considering he was requested to watch over Tucker. He would, but he would not be happy about it.

The silence was almost too much to bear, and for a few minutes, Malcolm wondered if that was how it felt, to drown. The air was so thick he had to force himself to suck in air, his lungs not seeming to hold enough of it. He remembered once, having a panic attack in one of the sailing trainings: the feeling was almost the same. Yet, he held his resolve, shifting through the pages of the manifold without reading a single item. He just couldn't focus.

Tucker spoke up, eventually, and Malcolm felt he had won.

"Did... the captain leave to the surface?" he asked, quietly, clearly trying to break the ice. It didn't work, because Malcolm simply nodded in response, not even glancing at him. "Did Phlox go with him?" Another nod. "Malcolm, please talk to me?"

"I am in my duty hours, please refer to me as lieutenant" Malcolm said, firmly, and then looked up at Tucker, raising an eyebrow at him. "What do you wish to talk about, commander?"

"Malcolm, please, don't do this" Tucker begged, and Malcolm could see the honesty in his words. He seemed desperate. "I know I fucked up, I fucked up real bad... I'm not trying to convince you I didn't, I just wanna talk!"

"About what, commander? I know what you know, and it still doesn't convince me you didn't have anything to do with it" he said, but honestly, it wasn't why he was worried. The kiss? Could have very well been caused by that mind control thing that Archer explained to him earlier. No, there was more that bothered him, and he was not about to sit down and talk.

"I am not trying to convince you I didn't have anything to do with it, even though I didn't! I want to talk! I want to apologize! I'm sorry!" he said, sitting up better, moving so he was face to face with Malcolm. The armory officer moved back, putting the padd down, crossing his arms over his chest. "Mal..."

"I told you to refer to me by my rank."

"To shit with ranks!" Tucker yelled, slapping his hands over his own thighs for emphasis. "Malcolm, you are my soulmate! The person I've dreamt of meeting and loving and caring for ever since I knew what soulmates meant! Did you really think I would ever cheat on you?! Do you think I would cheat on you in the first two weeks?!"

"A day, two weeks, a year, what does it matter?" Malcolm asked, staring at Trip with his eyebrows furrowed. "Honestly, I should have expected that much. The whole ship knows you can't keep it in your pants."

"Oh, wow" Trip chuckled, but it was cold and honestly, a little sad. "You too hun? I thought we were friends, Malcolm. I thought you knew me better than that."

"You were the one that got pregnant in our first weeks of mission" Malcolm said, staring at Trip. "You are the one that has kissed plenty of aliens while in this voyage. You had sex with a princess, that you knew nothing about. Can you really blame me for being skeptical?"

"Alright, alright, alright! You made your point!" Trip called out, raising his hands in the air in frustration. "If you knew I was such a whore then why did you accept to be with me in the first place? Hm?!"

"I don't know. Maybe your rubbish talk about how soulmates are supposed to be different got into my head" he said, angrily, and looked away from Trip, frowning deeply. "Maybe for a second I actually believed it, but turns out I was right. Soulmates are stupid from start to finish."

"Don't disrespect soulmarks like that" Trip mumbled, reaching out and grabbing Malcolm's shoulders. He looked back up at the commander, their eyes focusing on each other. "I made a whole ass mistake, I admit that. I was kind to her without understanding bullshit about their culture, and ended up in an awful position that must have looked horrible to you. If I were in your shoes, damn, I would be devastated. I would be crying my eyes out, I would be trashing my room, I would be ignoring you at every single corner of this ship. So I get it. Alright?! I got it! But you have to believe me, hell, not even me! You have to believe Phlox and you have to believe Lwirrat that I didn't want that! That it wasn't my fault! I never wanted to kiss her, not in a second!"

"So, you didn't find her attractive?" Malcolm asked, quietly, holding Trip's gaze. The American let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head.

"Of course I did. They were all attractive, even Lwirrat that was probably old enough to be my mah. But I never wanted to kiss her, I never even thought about it, I swear!"

"Wouldn't it be easier, though?" Malcolm asked, and his voice held no anger, no coldness to it. It was quiet, and he knew he was beginning to let his walls come down, but Trip did that to him. He just couldn't use all his training, even if he wanted to. Trip's face showed confusion at his statement, so he continued. "Weren't you, who dreamt of a beautiful blond girl to spend your days with, at a house in the country side somewhere? Wouldn't it be easier, if it was her instead of..."

He didn't continue, didn't have to. His eyes shifted down and he sighed, pushing Trip's hands away from his shoulders and turning to the kit. Another two minutes before the dosage. Alright then. Before he could think of anything else, Trip held his face with his hands and turned him back to face him, his eyes seeming worried, deep in thought.

"Malcolm... for all that is holy in this galaxy... tell me what is wrong" he whispered, his voice soft, making Malcolm's walls not fall but melt under his gaze. It was warm, filled with love, and with something else, close to... understanding, perhaps. "I can't keep trying to guess what you're thinking, your head is filled to the tip with mazes and twists and turns. I know you are not upset about the kiss... just be clear with me, once?"

Malcolm took a deep breath through his nose and closed his eyes for a moment, debating about standing up and leaving the room. He would be going against orders, but Trip wouldn't tell, he knew it. Yet, the guilt inside his chest spoke louder, and so did his fears. He couldn't leave Trip without telling him what was happening.

"I was upset about the kiss" he said, looking back at Trip, deep into his eyes, making no effort for the engineer to remove his hands from his face. They felt warm and comforting and secure, and Malcolm wanted that. "But I am no fool, I understood when Lwirrat explained what happened. I knew it hadn't been your fault. Still, it was as if I had a speaker inside my head, yelling at me. All my life I knew that finding a soulmate would not be easy, that living with them, with you, would go against all that I had ever been taught and trained to do. But for these two weeks, those thoughts were gone, and I was in bliss, with no worries in my head. Then, yesterday, it all came rushing back like a wave taking me whole and dragging me under...

"Of course I was upset about the kiss, I wouldn't be in love with you if I didn't. But the fact is that it got me thinking... thinking really hard, Trip. I thought about how you looked kissing her, how you seemed so in your habitat..." Malcolm sighed, finally taking his eyes away from Trip's, down to the man's chest, not really looking at it, just thinking. "I thought, 'wouldn't it be easier, if he had someone like her?'. A woman, I mean. A beautiful woman, someone who could love you without shame, who could give you children, who would be... perfect for you" he closed his eyes, feeling his voice tremble, but took a deep breath to steady himself. He would not show that much weakness, he was already going farther than any Reed would accept. "I wanted one too, a woman, that I could love, that my parents would accept..."

"You really never told them, did you?" Trip mumbled, softly, and Malcolm lifted his eyes to look at him again, shaking his head. The American sighed, tilting his head, caressing Malcolm's cheekbone. "I thought it was just a manner of speaking, but I guess not. Malcolm... how much would they hate you if you just told them?"

"Honestly? They would probably never speak to me again. Which wouldn't change anything, I don't talk to them either" he said, looking down again, reaching up to hold his wrist. It was supposed to pull it away from him, but Malcolm decided against it, simply holding Trip's arm. It was so warm. His eyes closed. "Still, I cannot find the courage to do it. My father would call me a coward, because I am. I cannot face them to say something they would hate so much."

"Are they that bad?" Trip asked, Malcolm nodding right after. "Malcolm..."

"It doesn't matter" he said, opening his eyes. He was ready to leave, seeing that this wasn't going anywhere. But Trip held him by the face and kept him still, brushing his thumb against his cheek lightly.

"Don't run away from me" he whispered, and Malcolm felt like his heart was squeezing inside his chest. He knew that sensation, that fear and excitement and need to cry... but he didn't. He just wouldn't. "Please. We don't have to talk about it. Just don't leave..."

"I don't understand why you want me, Trip. Except for the obvious fact that we are soulmates" he whispered. Trip shook his head.

"I want you because I love you Malcolm. Not just because of the soulmate issues. Yes we are soulmates, yes the universe chose us to be together, but before I was certain it was you, god Malcolm, I had the hots for you, and the closeness to you as well. Didn't I turn into your best friend in the first days? Didn't I always help you? Gosh darn it Malcolm! I'm crazy 'bout you" Trip said, leaning closer, pressing their foreheads, noses together. Malcolm shook his head, or tried to, but Trip kept him still. "I love you. I love your grumpy way of speaking, I love when you get angry at me, I love when you want to sacrifice yourself for this ship and crew, I love waking up next to you and seeing your sleepy face, I love kissing you senseless, I love... I love you. I love you so much Malcolm. I would never be with anyone else, I don't want to be with anyone else. I want you, no matter what."

Malcolm stared at Trip quietly, biting his bottom lip and nodding, before joining their lips into a soft kiss and sighing through his nose, maintaining their closeness. Trip's eyes remained closed, his expression seemingly guilty but also relieved, while Malcolm could feel his heart beating like mad inside his chest. Trip was so beautiful, inside out. He didn't deserve him, but... but he did, somehow. The universe said he did.

"It will take some time until I am confident enough to tell them, but I want to" Malcolm said, furrowing his eyebrows. "At least, I know I have to. And it might take me some time to tell the crew as well... although I am guessing I don't have to care about the captain, do I?"

Malcolm raised an eyebrow to stare at Trip, and the American blushed slightly.

"What do you mean?" he asked, and then sighed, looking down. "Sorry Mal... when Jon told me about the betazoids I let it slip... so yeah he knows."

"I figured" Malcolm chuckled and lifted Trip's face, kissing him softly again and pulling away. "Now, tell me, how are you feeling? I think we have passed the time for your meds, I might as well give them to you now."

"You probably should" trip chuckled, looking at Malcolm with bright eyes and holding his hands, squeezing them gently. "thank you for speaking to me, Mal. And forgiving me."

"I don't think I can ever be that mad at you, Trip" he chuckled, opening the kit and getting the medication in the hypo. "This might hurt a bit."

"Yeah, I know."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, kudos and comments are awesome!!!!


End file.
